Tag Archives: Coalition to Stop Smart Meters

This just in from Sharon Noble of the British Columbia organization Coalition To Stop Smart Meters. It pertains to a human rights complaint filed in 2012 by Citizens for Safe Technology against BC Hydro, on behalf of electrosensitive people. The BC Human Right Tribunal dismissed the complaint yesterday, September 18, 2014.

“Sad news. Our Human Rights case was dismissed by the Human Rights Tribunal. This was a class action on behalf of people with EHS and whose doctors said that they should avoid RF and not have $$meters. Even though EHS is a recognized by the Human Rights Commission in Canada, the Americans with Disabilities in the US, and as a disability in other countries, the Tribunal chose not to accept evidence but rather to base its decision in large part on the evidence the BCUC accepted in the Fortis application.

“Fortis BC paid a company (Exponent) to defend the $meter. Exponent is a “product defense company” and has defended some of the most dangerous products in the world – pesticides, Agent Orange, asbestos, etc and now microwave radiation. They buy scientists who will produce reports saying anything is safe. One of their people said that our bodies emit more radiation that does a smart meter and the BCUC accepted that while rejecting testimony from world-renowned experts like Dr. Martin Blank, Dr. Isaac Jamieson and Dr. Meg Sears.

“It’s a sad day when the government is allowed, by the Human Rights Tribunal, to come between a patient and his physician, but this is what has happened. Here is the decision for you to read. This makes it more urgent for us to fight this re: fires, fee discrimination, and our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”

The other class action lawsuit against BC Hydro over smart meters is still ongoing. That one represents all customers of BC Hydro (residential and business) who are unhappy about any aspect of the smart meter program (i.e., getting one if you didn’t want it, getting one and later deciding you don’t want it, being harassed and bullied for refusing to get one), whether or not you currently have a smart meter.

This press release just came across my desk from Citizens for Safe Technology and the Coalition to Stop Smart Meters:

PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate Release – April 29, 2013 TO ALL MEDIA

BC HYDRO CUTS POWER FOR REFUSING A SMART METER

CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ANNOUNCED

BC Hydro has taken the draconian step of cutting off power to a customer who refused to accept a wireless smart meter.

Last May, a Hydro customer had a wireless smart meter installed on her home despite her refusal. This person suffers from electro-sensitivity and, as a consequence of the radiofrequency radiation emitted by the wireless smart meter, her health began to deteriorate.

Despite pleading for months with Hydro to remove the wireless meter and to re-install the analog meter; they refused. Finally, with her health in jeopardy, she ordered a non- radiating analog meter from a company in the US that provides calibrated, tested meters to utility companies. With the supervision of a certified electrician the analog was installed, and the wireless smart meter was returned to Hydro.

When Hydro advised that the analog was not approved by Canadian agencies, the customer located a Canadian analog meter that met all the requirements and then asked Hydro to install it. Hydro refused, ignored her health condition and insisted that she must accept a wireless smart meter or they would cut her power.

On April 17, 2013, Hydro followed through with its threats and cut off its supply of power to her home.

Hydro’s conduct constitutes a violation of our autonomy and our right to determine what potentially harmful emissions do or do not occur from within our own domestic environment; our right to be free from physical intrusion by the state.

Due to Hydro’s actions over the last 2 years, culminating with its cessation of service to a customer for refusing to allow the installation of a wireless smart meter, the Citizens for Safe Technology Society and the Coalition to Stop Smart Meters are filing a class action lawsuit.

We invite participation in the action, subject to Court approval. Further information on the class action and criteria to join can be found at:

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Kim Goldberg is an award-winning writer in Nanaimo, British Columbia. She is the author of six books and more than 2,000 articles. Kim holds a degree in Biology from University of Oregon and is an avid birdwatcher and nature lover. Read more about Kim here. Email: goldberg@ncf.ca